Peer-Reviewed Article Features Two Undergraduates as Primary Authors

Halmos Faculty member Robert Smith, Ph.D., Pallavi Velagapudi, and Rachel Ghoubrial

Recently, the journal Microbes and Injection published the article, “A potential tradeoff between feeding rate and aversive learning determines intoxication in a Caenorhabditis elegans host-pathogen system”.

In this manuscript, a research team composed of seven undergraduate students examined the interplay between attraction and avoidance in the worm C. elegans. Using infective bacteria engineered to make an attractive odor, the group examined how the level of attraction determines the ability of the bacteria to infect the worms. They observed that if the bacteria are too attractive, the worms quickly learn to avoid the bacteria, and infection is reduced. Conversely, if the bacteria are not attractive enough, the worms are not attracted to the bacteria, and infection is reduced.   However, if the attractiveness of the bacteria is between these two extremes, the bacteria are able to cause a high degree of infection in the worms, suggesting a ‘Goldilocks’ region of attractiveness. The work might shed light on the evolutionary constraints that bacteria and other infective agents face when trying to infect a potential host.

The research of Halmos faculty member Robert Smith, Ph.D. (senior and corresponding author) focuses on understanding and manipulating bacterial cooperation, antibiotic resistance and host-microbe interactions using multidisciplinary approaches. Halmos faculty member Christopher Blanar, Ph.D. is also an author on this paper.

Citation: Velagapudi Pallavi, Rachel Ghoubrial, Ratnavi Shah, Helana Ghali, Meghan Haas, Krunal S. Patel, Ashleigh Riddell, Christopher A. Blanar, and Robert P. Smith. (2020).”A potential tradeoff between feeding rate and aversive learning determines intoxication in a Caenorhabditis elegans host-pathogen system.” Microbes and Infection.

 

 

 

CAHSS Faculty present at Power Publishing Day

NSU Writing & Communication Center Faculty Coordinator, Janine Morris (CAHSS), and CAHSS Visiting Assistant Professor, Mario D’Agostino, presented at the 5th annual Power Publishing Day in the Alvin Sherman Library on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020.

Power Publishing featured presentations by and meet and greets with editors and publishers from academic publishing houses such as Taylor & Franics, McGraw Hill, SAGE, and more. Online and in person, participants learned about creating academic videos, open access publishing, textbook publishing, writing and using case studies, where to publish, avoiding predatory publishing, publishing your research, writing a great research paper, and finding the right journal for your paper.

Morris and D’Agostino presented “Hard Work Preys Off: Recognizing & Avoiding Predatory Publishing,” which focused on how to spot the signs of predatory publishing and strategies for securing your scholarship. “Power Publishing Day is an important event for the Alvin Sherman Library and for the greater NSU community at large. I value being a part of this event as well as having the opportunity to educate faculty and students about predatory publishing,” said D’Agostino.

Power Publishing Day is part of the NSU Library “Gear Up” workshops series, which offers faculty and students professional development opportunities to engage with librarians and  gain knowledge in areas of research, publishing, grants, and copyright. Click on the link to view dates for the next “Gear Up Workshops.”

To learn more about the other Power Publishing Day sessions and presenters, visit: https://nsufl.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=51746513

To view past Power Publishing Day recordings, visit:

https://nsufl.libguides.com/c.php?g=348819&p=2353209

 

 

 

 

Halmos Faculty Focuses on Cyanobacteria Environmental Research

Over the past several years, Floridians have been hearing (and seeing) more and more about algal blooms. One project is taking a multi-disciplinary approach to the problem. The genetic arm of the project is led by Halmos faculty member Jose V. Lopez, Ph.D.

In 2016, Florida was impacted by a large harmful algae bloom (HAB) on its east coast. Although cyanobacteria are also known as blue-green algae colloquially, there are technically many different species of bacteria in the water. It is mostly cyanobacteria that can photosynthesize, this HAB caught national attention for its thickness and resemblance to guacamole. While most HABs are intermittent, the researchers are asking this question, “can we determine what are the switches that cause cyanobacteria to just burst forth and take over an area of waterway?”

This research project is focusing on Lake Okeechobee Watershed as it is the biggest lake in Florida and is surrounded by wetlands and sugar farms. The collaborators have experts specializing in very different areas, which speaks to the complexity of the HAB problem. Any number of factors, such as varying wind or physical systems, could also be impacting these blooms.

“It is very complex, because first of all, it’s a microbial community in water, so you’ve got hundreds of different species there,” says Dr. Lopez. “We also know that there are nutrients getting into the waterway that have increased these changes in overall water quality. We don’t really know which factors might be driving the bloom, so that’s why we’ve focused on a few to start with. We know that some are probably being introduced from agriculture or other types of suburban runoff.” The US Army Corp of Engineers is funding this research project.

Home Buying at the Alvin Sherman Library, March 9

Buying a home is exciting, and stressful, too! Prepare yourself by attending this session. Learn about the mortgage process and down payment options, First-Time Homebuyer programs and grants, what is involved in finding a home, the negotiating process and other transactions, and where to find down payment money. Vilma Lopez, a seasoned licensed Florida Real Estate Broker, will share her expertise and answer your questions. You don’t want to miss this opportunity.

https://nova.libcal.com/event/6514801

MSC to host a Free Movie Screening of “Autism Goes to College”

Please join us for a FREE movie screening of “Autism Goes To College”

This original documentary chronicles the classroom experience of five college students on the autism spectrum. Viewers see first-hand how these students navigate their college experience.

As more and more students with autism enter college, this important film showcases how they find their way and how we can support them.

We recommend parents, faculty, teachers, staff or anyone else who works with this population to join us.

The film is being offered twice on Wednesday, April 1 in the Knight Auditorium—Carl DeSantis Building, First Floor, Room 1124

  • 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

60 minute film + 30 minute panel discussion

If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Gold at dgold1@nova.edu.

Movie website

https://www.autismgoestocollege.org/

Movie trailer

https://youtu.be/7k2KLl0IL_k

Managing Your Sponsored Project, March 4

The Grant Writing Laboratory and the Office of Sponsored Programs provide Lunch & Learn Grant Workshops on a series of grant related topics. The annual 2020 Lunch & Learn Grant Workshop Series is for NSU faculty and staff continues this Wednesday, March 4 with “Managing Your Sponsored Project.” We are pleased to share that the 2020 series will feature nine sessions on a variety of topics.

All workshops are scheduled from noon – 1:00 p.m. in the HPD Chancellor’s Dining Room. A light lunch is provided. Registration is REQUIRED so please RSVP at www.nova.edu/osp/lunchandlearn/ for any or all of the workshops. For more information, please contact grantlab@nova.edu  .

 

NSU Alum Appointed as APA’s Chief Education Officer

APA
American Psychological Association
Washington DC

 

Catherine Grus, Ph.D., started her journey into the psychology world in high school, followed it into academia, and now is the newly appointed Chief Education Officer of the American Psychological Association.

Grus credited a high school psychology course and topics like perception for igniting her interest in the field. That led her to earning a B.A. in Psychology from Western New England College and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from NSU’s College of Psychology. Grus was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine for a decade and joined APA in 2005.

Grus said NSU faculty helped her direct her passion and prepared her to work in the field.

“I was fortunate to have so many professors who were experts in their areas, both in the courses they taught and in supervision,” Grus said. “I have really positive memories of the faculty, and I’m still in touch with many of them.”

Grus is no stranger to what the position entails, having assumed it on an interim basis in 2018. She said the position broadly covers all aspects of education, including increasing the quality of psychology education programs, accreditation, continuing education, and applying psychology to K-12 education.

Full story: https://psychology.nova.edu/news-events/2020/cop-grusapa.html

WCC Participates in Sherman’s Golf in the Library

The NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC) participated in the “Sherman’s Golf in the Library” event January 10-12, a fundraiser hosted by the Alvin Sherman Library Circle of Friends. Golfers of all ages had the chance to “tee-off” for fun on the 18-hole miniature golf course where each hole was decorated by a library or campus organization based on a specific children’s book, such as Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,  E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, or the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling.

The WCC golf hole was based on Alphabet Under Construction, a children’s book by Denise Fleming, which features a mouse building all the letters of the alphabet out of different materials. The WCC hole featured several handmade letters, including a 7-foot tall capital “L” that guests could “construct” by adding paper bricks to it on which they wrote messages to the library. The hole also featured a mechanical mouse on a ladder pulling on a rope to raise and lower the letter “Y.”

WCC staff, led by WCC faculty coordinator and CAHSS Assistant Professor Dr. Eric Mason, designed and constructed the hole. Dr. Mason said “It was great to partner with the Alvin Sherman Library to provide the community with a fun experience based on children’s books. At the WCC we work daily with writers from all corners of NSU, and an event that recognizes the impact that the texts we write can have on the next generation is a perfect way to remind ourselves why we write.”

The 3-day unique mini golf experience provided NSU faculty, staff, students, and community members the opportunity to connect with different organizations and golf on the 1st and 2nd floors. The event’s host, the not-for-profit organization Circle of Friends for the NSU Alvin Sherman Library, is dedicated to serving the library in its efforts of maintaining its role as the premier research and information technology center, structured for cultural and lifelong learning for the NSU and Broward County community. All proceeds raised from the event were used to help fund early childhood literacy programs, furniture, technology and research materials. The WCC looks forward to participating in the event in upcoming years.

For more information on the Circle of Friends, visit: http://sherman.library.nova.edu/sites/friends/about-the-circle-of-friends/

NSU Revives NSU Undergraduate Online Journal MAKO

The NSU-wide Undergraduate Student Journal, Mako has recently been revived with five student-authored and faculty-mentored papers published in a new winter 2020 issue. Halmos College faculty members Aarti Raja, Ph.D. and Santanu De, Ph.D. are serving as Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor, respectively. Oceanographic Campus librarian Keri Baker is overseeing the technical aspects of the online publication.

Faculty and all faculty-led undergraduate student researchers of all fields are encouraged to connect with MAKO to promote this publication.

Alumni Spotlight: CAHSS Alumnus is on Winning FSU Black Law Students Association Mock Trial Team

Christopher Ramirez, B.S

Christopher Ramirez, B.S., 2018 graduate of the Legal Studies program in the Department of History and Political Science (DHPS)  in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), was a member of the winning mock trial team for Florida State University College of Law’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA). The team won first place in the Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition at the Southern Region of the Black Law Students Association’s regional convention, held in Charleston, SC.

Ramirez is a first year law student at FSU. While at NSU, he was a member of the undergraduate Mock Trial Team and was a federal work student in DHPS. Gary Gershman, J.D., Ph.D., is the NSU Mock Trial Team coach.

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